Inland

Once a symbol of middle-class dreams, the little hatchback is fighting for survival as India’s auto space moves toward bigger, pricier and less-than-practical choices

XThe everyday car is dying a slow death. It is an irony, indeed, in a country once defined by its small cars, that the small car is fighting for breath. From the Maruti 800 to the Santro, from the Nano to the WagonR, these little marvels democratized private mobility, bringing the middle-class onto four wheels. Over the last few years, though, theirs’ is a story of decline. The hatchback, once making up half of all passenger car sales, is struggling to hold even a fifth of the market now. Auto sales may be booming in absolute numbers, but their most vital powertrain—India’s affordable small car—is stalling.

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